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Don Brennan, QMI AGENCY

Apr 8, 2012

, Last Updated: 10:30 PM ET

In a first-round playoff series with the top-seeded Rangers, the Senators may actually have road-ice advantage.

While taking 3-of-4 against the Rangers this season, Ottawa won both games at Madison Square Garden — on a 5-4 shootout Oct. 29 and a 3-0 Craig Anderson shutout Jan. 12 — and beat the Blueshirts 4-1 at Scotiabank Place March 8.

The Senators suffered a 3-2 loss to the Rangers at home Nov. 9.

But the 2011-12 season was not just a blip on the screen.

In the all-time series between the two teams, the Senators are 23-13-0-1 at MSG — 11-2 since the lockout and 14-3 in their last 17 visits.

The Senators are just 15-18-3-1 when playing host to the Rangers.

There’s more reason for the Senators not to be too disappointed their opening-round matchup starts with games Thursday and Saturday in New York.

Overall, Ottawa was better on the road (21-14-6) than at home (20-17-4) this season. In fact, the Senators had the worst home ice record of any of the 16 teams to qualify for the post-season, while, on the flipside, only five clubs had more than the 48 points the Senators accumulated as visitors.

“There’s a lot of pride in being a good road team,” said coach Paul MacLean, whose team had Easter Sunday off and begins preparations for the post-season Monday. “You’re not going to have any success in this league if you don’t play on the road, and find a way to win on the road. It’s an important part of the growth of any team is to be able to be comfortable on the road and not be intimidated by the places you go into.

“Sometimes it’s easier on the road. At home there’s a little more pressure on you, whether it’s from friends coming to visit you, or just the fans and the fact that you’re at home. Sometimes it’s a little easier to get prepared on the road.

“If you’re not going to win on the road, you’re not going to really be successful.”

Meanwhile, the Senators will be sure to point out that all the pressure is on the Rangers, who finished 17 points higher than they did.

As men who were supposed to be cleaning out their lockers this weekend, they will relish the role as underdogs.

“The first round, I think, is the toughest round to play,” said captain Daniel Alfredsson. “Sometimes, especially if you’re the favourite.

“We’re going to go in and give it everything we have. Hopefully, we can get off to a good start in the series and make the (Rangers) chase us.”

The Senators are dismissing the fact they lost the last three games of the regular season, saying they simply took their foot off the pedal after winning four straight to clinch a playoff spot.

“Right now, we’ve got a fresh slate,” said Anderson. “What happened in the past, these last three games, the last 82, is behind us. We have a fresh start, starting (this) week. Everyone starts at zero wins and zero losses. That’s our mindset, that we’ve got to win four before the other team wins four.”